In this dark academia young adult thriller for fans of The Female of the Species and People Like Us, a teen girl’s search for answers about her mother’s mysterious death leads to a powerful secret society at her new boarding school—and a dangerous game of revenge that will leave her forever changed.
♦ Kirkus Starred Review
♦ Publishers Weekly Starred Review
♦ YALSA 2023 Best Fiction for Young Adults List
♦ Kirkus Best Young Adult Books of 2022 List
♦ An Amazon Best Books of April 2022 Editor’s Pick
♦ A Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated YA Book of April 2022
SIMON & SCHUSTER/MARGARET K. MCELDERRY BOOKS APRIL 5, 2022
Simon & Schuster Audio / listen on Audible
Australia and New Zealand: S&S (June 1, 2022)
UK: S&S (June 9, 2022)
Six years ago, Calliope Bolan’s mother drove the family van into a lake with her three daughters inside. The girls escaped, but their mother drowned, and the truth behind the “accident” remains a mystery Calliope is determined to solve. Now sixteen, she transfers to Tipton Academy, the same elite boarding school her mother once attended. Tipton promises a peek into the past and a host of new opportunities—including a coveted invitation to join Haunt and Rail, an exclusive secret society that looms over campus like a legend.
Calliope accepts, stepping into the exhilarating world of the “ghosts,” a society of revolutionaries fighting for social justice. But when Haunt and Rail commits to exposing a dangerous person on campus, it becomes clear that some ghosts define justice differently than others.
As the society’s tactics escalate, Calliope uncovers a possible link between Haunt and Rail and her mother’s deadly crash. Now, she must question what lengths the society might go to in order to see a victory—and if the secret behind her mother’s death could be buried here at Tipton.
A doozy of a ride, with thrills and chills aplenty.
Nuanced and startling in turn, this is a satisfyingly smart and thrilling tale.
Very Bad People has it all: family secrets, mysteries, lies, romance, a secret society, activism, mischief, and more. So perfectly paced, so well-wrought, I was kept guessing until the end. A twisty, deeply satisfying ride.
The Secret History for GenZ … A multi-layered mystery and a razor-sharp indictment of privilege in all its forms, Very Bad People is a stunning thriller.
Very Bad People is a chilling dive into the dangers of dark academia and family secrets. Kit Frick spins a propulsive tale that twists through hidden rooms and the shadowy wooded edges of an elite boarding school where secrets must be protected at all costs. A startling and addictive thriller!
Frick has penned another smart thriller peppered with excellent turns of phrase…Recommended for all libraries.
[A] suspenseful mystery that shows how privilege can affect those in ways that can be a double-edged sword. 4.7/5 stars
A solid campus mystery for readers who want the intrigue of a secret society and a death to unravel, but who don’t want the gory details. Add especially to collections frequented by a younger high school crowd.
Very Bad People discussion guide (PDF) for book clubs and student groups
Haunt and Rail Society new initiate welcome letter
Tipton Academy campus map — annotated by the ghosts! (illustration by Mike Hall)
Highly Unreliable and Morally Ambiguous Narrators: guest post on Crime Reads!
Essential Ingredients of a Good Thriller: guest post on The Young Folks!
Cover reveal + excerpt on Crime Reads
Check out this excerpt from the audiobook, read by Devon Sorvari!